Is email from HMRC a scam?

The address ends with : ...Emails [email protected]> but, when I copied & pasted it, this last bit that started with < was not reproduced in the box which shows what the post will appear as. As soon as I type the < it disappears.

It is offering various links which purport to offer help in filling in the forms.

The links all end with hmrc.gov.uk/track?

First thing that makes me suspicious is that I have already returned my 17/18 tax form AND paid what I owe.

But I'm always ready to learn for future reference and several of the links look interesting.

The latest purports to come from TV licensing saying I have overpaid by £82. Highly unlikely as I know what a TV license costs and pay it annually by Direct Debit so have a record on my Bank Statement.

If you deal with HMRC and submit returns and have supplied your Email then this could possibly happen, but random emails saying you have a rebate when you have your tax dealt with by PAYE and haven't given them your Email address are obviously Scams. It's a bit like the 'Microsoft' phone call telling you they have detected a fault with your computer. How could they know, they can't possibly monitor millions of computers all over the world but still people are stupid enough to fall for it.

The solution is if you haven't supplied your Email or phone number to any organisation then treat any emailor phone call from them with suspicion.

I wouldn't be concerned too much. If you have registered with HMRC for tax reasons (own limited co, or whatever) then these emails re: 'Business Help and Support', are pretty standard. As they are so infrequent then it does make you fear the worst, i.e. spam, but in my experience they're innocent.

I have seen tax office emails on a work mates phone and she said are they real so I asked the obvious question have you ever given the tax office your email address and she said no so I replied you just answered your own question.

The same apples to all unexpected emails DONT TOUCH THEM.

I recently changed banks and they said we will send you regular emails about your account so I said if you do I wont open them because I have been getting stuff that is supposed to be from you before I had an account with you. So how do I know they are real.

SECURITY TIP …. never use short cuts or browser tabs to connect to anything involving money , key loggers scan them waiting for them to be used.

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